Word Origin & History

clean O.E. clæne "clean, pure," from W.Gmc. *klainoz "clear, pure," from PIE base *gel- "to gleam" (cf. Gk. glene "eyeball," O.Ir. gel "bright"). As an adj., replaced in higher senses by clear, pure, but as a verb (c.1450) it has largely usurped what once belonged to cleanse. The adj. clean in the sense of "innocent" is from c.1300; that of "not lewd" is from 1867; that of "free of drug addiction" is 1950s. To take (someone) to the cleaners "get all of (someone's) money" is from 1932

Example Sentences for cleanness

The poetry, the nobility, the moderation and cleanness of line of Brahms is absent.

Whereas, so far from this, to divide the hoof is a ground of cleanness.

What strikes us first is the amazing regularity of the rows and the cleanness of the ground.

Upon this quality depends the fineness and cleanness of the lines it will make.

The girl and I glanced at each other; I was surprised and rather disturbed by her beauty and cleanness of body.

It gushed down his chin, staining the cleanness of his robe.

We entered a low whitewashed room, with a stone floor that showed an admirable degree of cleanness.

The aim should be to pre-empt the ground for cleanness and truth.

I love it in its cleanness and spiciness, and shall be sorry when we have left the desert behind us.